Method of and apparatus for handling slit coils



Nov. 11, 1952 N. J. RANNEY METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SLIT COILS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Nov. 30, 1948 INVENTOR lVei/dfianney I fgk za Nqvr 11, 1952 N. J. RANNEY 2,617,353

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SLIT COILS I Filed Nov. 30, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 iiEv INVENTOR /Ve/'/ Ranney Patented Nov. 11, 1952 mnon ormnnprzxm'msron HANDLINGSLIT cons Neil J: RannemiEuclidr -,,0hi'o;xassignoritmWean @Equipmentflorporation; Euclid; Ohio; at corpol ration'of' Ohio "Application-November 30 1948', SliafNb. 62,614

v1 5 Claims. (Cl.--1002) Thisin vention relates to a m'eth'o'd of and ap paratus-ior' handling slit coils; 11 lt has to'. do with thehand-ling of sl-it coils from the take-Up reel r of acoil slittenor-frorn'amandrel of other coil v holding device 't'o which'a group' of' slit coils may '--'--be-transferredfrom the -take-up reel ofl a coil e'removed fro'mith'etake upireel-onto a mandrel slitter. I: ='other "suitable-coil holding device? For i-exam- "--"'-W-ide coilsg as; forexam'pl; coils of steel strip, ple, I may employ, as is the case insaid applicaare sl-it into narrower coilsdn' well-knownman- 'etiongcezis'winging arm coil-nnloaden'*forzrec'eiving ner. A wide coi'l is disposednpon thep'awofi reel .1 the. group? 'f slit c'olls: from -th'e slitte r'rtake-up of-aslitte the material-*of the coil being payed reel-.f Al'soiprovide for dis'chargingl theslit coils -ff andpassing continuotisly tlirongh tlieslitter "one ny .onezl'fr'om'ithetaunloadertso that they are proper, the slit coils-being wound up on a take-up- =se'quentia11y :aclvancedlto afbanding station where reel: -'-Ihe-efficiency' of the slitter-depends upon they z'arez 'bandedfi Howevert l provideia lnovel thecontinuitypfits u'se.---=As soon as the trailing i methodand-apparatusfor'liandling the slit coils endof the wide coilh'asleft the pay ofi 'reel a 1 after they are discharged bne 'by onefirbm the newwidecoil maybe disposedonthe pay-off reel mandrel:or otheizicoil holdin'gdevice.

I for the next slittin'g operations However, serious -iliides'irably malintain each slit'coil after its sep- "interruption with-continuous nse of -th'e -slltter arate deliveryl from the coil' -holding device and has heretofore been occasionedby banding and v u ntil it'has beeHbanded in e'neralIy upright posiremoval of the slitcoilsfrbm-th'e slittertake-up tion, it J; with :its axis extending generally horreel. Moreover-{the manneriof-h'andIing-the coils i izontally; I'findthat thiSi'ienabIESimGBE efficient has been'inefficient and-has requiredan iindesirand easyzhandlingiofAthe-coils thanyotherwise; ably great amount 'of-manual work. at portions ofl'the path-through whichi'the' coils -A method of and apparatus for handling slit n pass tlieymay rbe' rolledgwhich:is not 'pbssible coils obviating the disadvantages above referred T when ithe coils are laid do'wn fiatm I de's-irab1y to is disclosecl'andclaimedin-'copending-applicaprovide meansior receiving each slit coil' as it is tionSiialNdkGZfiO, filed of even datelierewith. discharged from theholdingdevice and deliver- '---"I n saidapplication'there'isdisclosed a method of ing it to a banding fl fi a fi it and aDparatus' forhandlingslit coils whichma-ke upright General1y,-th6 '5banding31stati6n Will be provisionfor immediate-removal oftheslit coils "somewhat elevated with -respectto-the coil holdfrom the-take-up reel as a unit-or grou -soas to m'g device andeI y employfrlevatinellmeans free'the take upreel for use in a-succeedi'ng slittaking the slit coils 'sequentially"from -the-holdting operation: This-is done prior to banding of ing deviceandelevating them to a level approxithe coils. The slit coils may' -be removed as-'=a mating' the' level of 'thebanding station and there roup from" the take-up reel ina single virtually di g m qu l y o the bandin instantaneous-movement so thatthe take-up reel statidna' The coils are maintained iipright by the is freed for usein-the subsequent slittingpperaelevator so that when theyare discharged from tion-almost assoon as-thep'ayofi" reel' -is freed. -theelevator the'y roll 'towa-rd *the banding-station. I The result "is unprecedented]? little i'dl slitter 4'0"- 'There maybe provided'an-inclined runway time. Also, there-is disclosedin saidapplication upon which the elevated slit coils may pass to the the handling of slit coils removed from the slitter -banding'station; their movement fromthe' e1eva take-up reel in--a--'rapid and efficient-manner so tor -to the banding station thus being effected that they arebanded and out of the Way' before through the force of-gravity. The banding sta, the next group of slit coils'is ready to be removed time may include what I" term a; bandingstall from the slitter take-up reel. we having opposed generally' upright -walls" spaced -'---I"p1'ovide a method ofandapparatus forhanapart a'distance only-a slig-htlygreater-than the dling-slit coils which may be 'employedin con-" 'width of the-coiled strip;- and 'preferablywelanection with thebroacl-"aspectsof theinvention" tively adjustable toprovide for the bandin of I of said application. I preferably-follow the teachc'oils'of strip of different widths} the banding stall g oi said ap'pli'oationin: removing els aagroup in single v-irtuallyi: instantaneons movement slit 11p reel of 'a c'oil slitter 'so as o free -theltakeeup reelefor immediate use in a 1succeeding slittingroperation :Thei'sl'it; coils may maintaining the integrity of the coil while at the same time holding it upright and guiding it as it rolls along. The opposed walls of the banding stall have their upper edges disposed at an elevation lower than the elevation of the tops of the openings through the coils being banded so as to make it possible for a workman to apply a band about a portion of each coil, the band passing through the coil opening and extending about the coiled strip; such a band is sometimes referred to as a radial band as distinguished from a circumferential band which extends about the coil circumferentially.

Desirably the banding stall has a coil stop which is movable into and out of operative position. When the stop is in operative position it serves to hold a coil which is rolled into the banding stall in position to be handed. After the coil has been banded the stop may be moved to inoperative position to permit the banded coil'to roll on to a delivery point. The inclined coil runway may extend through and beyond the banding stall.

Desirably roller means are provided which support a coil when disposed in the banding stall in position to be banded providing for turning of the coil by the banding operator to place it in proper rotative position for banding. For example, there may be a roller in the bottom of the runway in the banding Stall and a roller in the coil stop, the two rollers cooperatively rotatively supporting a coil in the banding stall when it is held in position to be banded. i

The coil elevator may comprise a tiltable cradle receiving each coil as it is delivered from the coil holding device. The cradle may be pivoted to a portion of the elevator and may have a part which as the elevator is raised engages a detent such as a portion of the banding stall to tilt the cradle to discharge the coil therefrom generally laterally toward the banding stall and onto the inclined runway if such a runway is employed.

Thus I move the slit coils rapidly and efficiently from the coil holding device to the banding sta- I 7 tion and hand them and deliver the banded coils for storage or'shipment. The maintaining of the c ils in upright position. during handling and banding contributes largely to the simplicity and efficiency of my handling method.

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of a present preferred embodiment I thereof and a present preferred method of practicing the same proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a 4 the take-up reel 2 in known manner, the takeup reel being appropriately driven to accomplish its function. In the drawings a wide coil is shown as having been slit into twelve narrow slit coils 3. The twelve coils 3 are shown in Figures 1 and 2 as being disposed in side-by-side co-axial relationship on the slitter take-up reel. The slit coils 3 are shown as being separated by the usual separator discs 4. A pusher 5 is provided in connection with the take-up reel 2, being operable to push the slit coils off of the take-up reel toward the right, viewing Figures 1 and 2. Since 3 the details of the structure of the pusher do not constitute my invention they are not shown. The take-up reel and pusher may be of conventional construction.

I also employ a swinging arm coil unloader designated generally by reference numeral 6 and which may itself be of known construction. Since the unloader as an element of apparatus may be of conventional construction it will not be described in detail. It comprises, however, a receiving mandrel I which may be aligned with the take-up reel 2 of the slitter as indicated in chain lines in Figures 1 and 2 and onto which the slit coils 3 may be pushed as a unit or group byoperation of the pusher 5. The mandrel I is carried by a post 8 which is mounted in a bearing for turning movement about a vertical axis. The post 8 may be turned about its vertical axis from a position in which the mandrel I is in alignment with the take-up reel 2 to a position in which the mandrel I is disposed at an angle to the axis of the take-up reel 2, for example, a right angle as indicated in solid lines in Figure l.

The swinging arm coil unloader B has a pusher 9 for pushing the slit coils off of the mandrel I. Mounted on the post 8 is a cylinder I0 containing a piston having a piston rod l l which carries the pusher 9. As the piston in the cylinder l0 moves downwardly viewing Figure l the pusher 9 pushes the slit coils off of the mandrel 1. As will be explained hereinafter, the piston is operated to deliver or discharge the slit coils from the mandrel ,1 one at a time.

Disposed adjacent the outer end of the mandrel I when the swinging arm coil unloader is in the position shown in solid lines in Figure l is an nated generally by reference numeral I! havin present preferred embodiment of the invention 3 and have illustrated a present preferred method of practicing the same, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the take-up reel of a coil slitter and apparatus for handling slit coils originally disposed on the take-up reel;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; and v Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational .view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig- I ure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown at 2 in Figures 1 and 2 the take-up reel of a strip slitter. The slitter may be of known construction and I claim no invention in the structure of the slitter or take-up reel.

. The slitter comprises the usual pay-off reeland slitter proper which are not shown in the drawings. The slitter slits a single wide strip into a, plurality of narrow strips which are coiled up on coil receiving and supporting surfaces l8 and I9 disposed at an angle to each other so as to cooperatively form a saddle in which a coil may seat. The pivot I6 is disposed to the right of the center of the saddle formed by the surfaces l8 and [9 viewing Figure 3 so that normally when a coil is disposed in the saddle of the cradle it maintains the cradle in the position shown in that figure with the lefthand bottom portion 20 thereof resting atop the head M. The cradle has a generally upright wall 2| for maintaining a coil 1 in place on the saddle and in upright position. i The cradle I! has a projecting portion 22 1 adapted upon raising of the elevator to engage a stop 23 which may form a portion of a banding stall designated generally by reference numeral\ 24. As the elevator is raised to position the coil at approximately the elevation of the banding stall, the portion 22 of the cradle l1 engages thel stop 23 which causes the cradle to turn in the clockwise direction viewing Figure 3 about the axis asit is discharged from the mandrel I.

I of the pivot l 8 to tiltthe saddle toward the right and discharge thecoil 3 into thebandin'g stall. The banding stall comprises an'inclined runway-25 whichextends downwardly andtoward the right viewing-Figure 3 from-'the elevator and to which coils are'delivered from the cradle I1 when the elevator is raised as above'described. The banding stall has opposed upright walls 26 which are spaced apart a distance only slightly "greater than the width of the coiled strip so as to maintain upright a coil disposed therebetween and also maintain the integrity "of the coil. A

0011" delivered into the "banding stallfrom the cradle rolls toward the right, viewing Figure 3.

is separated from the runway and is: mounted A portion 21 of the floor'ofthe banding stall for tilting movement upon a transverse shaft -charged coil is disposed against the wall-2i of the-cradle which maintainsit upright The coil --1s positioned in'the cradleby the surfaces l8 and Has shown'in Figure '3. The-separator disc 4 behind the mills removed.

With the coil thus positioned on the cradle and with the cradle' disposedin the position *s'hown' in full lines in Figure 3 the elevator I 2 is raised. As the coil nears the 'elevation of the "bandingstall theprojecting-portion- 22 0f the cradle engages the stop 23, tilting the' cradle to the-chain lineposition of Figure 3; When the cradle-is thus tilted the-surface-iflisinclined somewhat downwardly from right "to left viewing Figure 3 and is also in alignmen-t with the runway 25." The coil-rolls by gravity (on -if necessary;may be given a gentle pushl'so that it en- 28, the floor portion 27 thus forming a coil stop movable between operative and inoperative po- "sitions upon turning of the shaft 28. The coil stop 21 is shown in Figure S in solid lines in operati've position and'in chain lines in inoperative position. 'When the 'coil stop is'in'operative position it intersects the plane of the runway 25 and stops a coil rolled'downthe runway,

holding the coil in place at the banding station until it is banded; Fastened to the shaft 28 is "'alever 29 pivoted at 30 to a piston rod-3| carried bya piston in a cylinder -32pivot'ed at'33 to opposedbrackets 3d. Movement of the piston in the cylinder 32 causes movementof the stop 21 between operative and-inoperative positions. Mounted so as" to intersect the runway 25 in "the banding stall is a roller 35. Mounted in the stop 27 is a 'similar rol'ler 36. The'roll'ers "35 and 36 are relatively positioned as shown in Figure 3 so that when the stop 21 is in operative'po'sition as shown in solid lines in that figure a'coil'which rolls into the banding stall is supported-by the two rollers 35 and 35 so that it'may easily be turned by hand bythe banding operator to proper circumferential position for banding.

Each coil hastherethrough a'oentral'opening 37. When a coil is disposed in the banding stall in position to be banded the top of the opening '31 is disposed above the tops of the walls 23 so that the banding operator "can pass a'band through'the opening 31'in thecoil and about the coiled strip to band the coil.

- I shall now describe the'pres'entpreferred practiceof my improved method'of handling slit coils employing the apparatus above described. At

"the completion of the slitting" operation the slit coils 3 are disposed in side-by-sid'e'coaxial relationship on the slitter take-up reel 2 with their 'ters the banding stall-betw'een'the'walls26-there of. As the runway 25 isincli-neddownwardly toward the right viewing Figure 3 the coil advances by gravity.

As the coil enters-the banding stall the stop 27 is in the operative or 'fullline position'of Figrollers 35 and 36.

ure 3;" The coil comes to rest against the stop which prevents itfrom movingfarther When the coil thus comes to rest itis-supportedby the The operator may turn the coil-if"n'e'cessary to bringit into propenposition 'for' banding whereuponhe applies the"band,-pass- "ing it through the coil opening 37 and "about the periphery of the coiln Thereafter the stop 21 is moved to'the inoperative position'indicated by chain lines in Figure 3, permitting'the banded coil to roll'to the right out of the banding stall.

' It may be received by a car 33 or other receptacle.

A pistonoperating in a cylinder" 39 is shown for "advancing throughthepiston'rod 39' the car 38 step by step as coils are delivered into it'so that elevator I2 is lowered 'to"its original position. 'When' the portion 22 of the cradle parts contact the'car'may be filled with coils.

-After the cradle l7 discharges its coil the with'the stop 23 during downward movement of the" elevator the" cradle overbalances' from the chain line position of'Fig'ure 3 to the full "line position of Figure 3' in readiness to receive the next coil. When the cradle is disposed 'incoilreceiving position relatively to the mandrel 1 as above describedanother coil is pushed off .of the mandrel onto the cradle as above described and the s cycle is repeated.

- Thus the slit coils are handled separately from common axis substantiallyhorizontal." Immediately upon completion of the slitting step the mandrel 1 is disposed in alignment with the takeup reel 2 and'th'e'pusher'B is'operated to push the group of coils 3 in a single continuous movement on of the reel 2 and onto themandrel 1. Thus, the take-up reel 2 of the'slitter' is virtually instantaneously freed for use in a succeeding slitting operation. The swinging arm coil unloader '5 is swung to the position in which the mandrel is disposed at approximately right angles to the axis of the'take-up reel 2 and in alignment with the elevator [2 as shown in solid lines in Figure 1 and as shown in Figures 2 and 3. At such time the elevator is in its lowered position; The pusher 9 is operated just far enough to push the end coil 3 off of the mandrel 1 onto the cradle H, the saddle of the cradle being just slightly below the lower portion of the periphery of the coil The disthe mandrel 1, the operation being rapid and enicient and resulting in sequential movement of the coils to the elevator and the banding stall in rapid succession while the coilsaremaintained upright. Each time one of the slit coils is pushed oiT of themandrel 1 the pusher 9 is advanced only a distance equal to the thickness of the coil plus the thickness of oneof the discs 4, the remaining slit coils remainingon the mandrel.

I thus accomplish very rapid and efficient handling of the slit coils, insuring-a minimum of illustrated a present preferred method of practicing the same, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising a receiving station for receiving a coil of the group of coils, the receiving station having a dimension parallel to the axes of the coils less than the axial dimension of the group of coils, means for pushing the coils generally axially of the coils to remove them one by one from the support to sequentially separate individual coils from the group and dispose each such separated coil at the receiving station, said means being disposed at the end of the group of coils axially opposite the receiving station, a banding station to receive the coils sequentially from the receiving station and means confining each coil at its sides to maintain it with its axis generally horizontal during substantially its entire movement from the receiving station to the banding station.

2. Apparatus for handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising a receiving station for receiving a coil of the group of coils and means for pushing the coils generally axially of the coils to remove them one by one from the support to sequentially separate individual coils from the group and dispose each such separated coil at the receiving station, said means being disposed at the end of the group of coils axially opposite the receiving station, the receiving station comprising a tilting receiver having a dimension parallel to the axes of the coils less than the axial dimension of the group of coils adapted to receive each such separated coil with its axis generally horizontal when the receiver is in one position and then to be tilted generally in a vertical plane normal to the coil axis to initiate rolling of the coil from the receiving station.

3. Apparatus for handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising a receiving station for receiving a coil of the group of coils and means for pushing the coils generally axially of the coils to remove them one by one from the support to sequentially separate individual coils from the group and dispose each such separated coil at the receiving station, said means being disposed at the end of the group of coils axially opposite the receiving station, the receiving station having a generally upright wall against which each such separated coil is adapted to lie as the coil is delivered from the support to maintain the coil with its axis generally horizontal and means mounting said wall in permanently upright position, said wall limiting the dimension of the receiving station parallel to the axes of the coils to less than the axial dimension of the group of coils.

4. Apparatus for handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising a receiving station for receiving a coil of the group of coils and means for pushing the coils generally axially of the coils to remove them one by one from the support to sequentially separate individual coils from the group and dispose each such separated coil at the receiving station, said means being disposed at the end of the group of coils axially opposite the receiving station, the receiving station having a receiver having a dimension parallel to the axes of the coils less than the axial dimension of the group of coils and being movable generally vertically, and means actuated upon predetermined generally vertical movement of the receiver initiating rolling of the coil from the receiver.

5. Apparatus for handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on .a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising a receiving station for receiving a coil of the group of coils and means for pushing the coils generally axially of the coils to remove them one by one from the support to sequentially separate individual coils from the group and dispose each such separated coil at the receivin station, said means being disposed at the end of the group of coils axially opposite the receiving station, the receiving station having a generally vertically movable receiver having a tilting top and having a generally upright wall against which each such separated coil is adapted to lie as the coil is delivered from the support to maintain the coil with its axis generally horizontal, said wall limiting the dimension of the receiving station parallel to the axes of the coils to less than the axial dimension of the group of coils, and means interposed in the path of generally vertical movement of the receiver engaging a portion of the receiver when the receiver has moved a predetermined distance to tilt the top of the receiver to initiate rolling of the coil from the receiver.

6. Apparatus for handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising a receiving station for receiving a coil of the group of coils, the receiving station having a dimension parallel to the axes of the coils less than the axial dimension of the group of coils, means for pushing the coils generally axially of the coils to remove them one by one from the support to sequentially separate individual coils from the group and dispose each such separated coil at the receiving station, said means being disposed at the end of the group of coils axially opposite the receiving station, a stationary bandin stall to receive the coils sequentially from the receiving station and a banded coil receptacle movable to position it to sequentially receive banded coils from the banding stall.

'7. Apparatus for handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising a receiving station for receiving a coil of the group of coils, the receiving station having a dimension parallel to the axes of the coils less than the axial dimension of the group of coils, means for pushing the coils generally axially of the coils to remove them one by one from the support to sequentially separate individual coils from the group and dispose each such separated coil at the receiving station, said means being disposed at the endof the group of coils axially opposite the rece ving station, a banding station to receive the coils sequentially from the receiving station and movable arresting means at the banding station movable into position in the path of a coil to g rest the coil at the banding station and movable mit movement of the coil in its original direction of movement out of the banding station;

8. Apparatus for handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising a receiving 1 station for receiving a coil of the group of coils,

the receiving station having a dimension parallelto the axes of the coils less than the axial dimension of the group of coils, meansfor pushing thecoils generally axially of the coils to remove them;

one by one from the support to sequentially separate individual coils from the group and dispose each such separated coil at the receiving station, said means being disposed at the end of the group of coils axially opposite the receiving station, a banding station to receive the coils sequentially from the receiving station and roller means supporting a coil at the banding station with its axis in substantially fixed position for turning movement about its axis to properly orient it for banding.

9. Apparatus for handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising a receiving station for receiving a coil of the group of coils, the receiving station having a dimension parallel to the axes of the coils less than the axial dimension of the group of coils, means for pushing the coils generally axia1ly of the coils to remove them one by one from the support to sequentially separate individual coils from the group and dis pose each such separated coil at the receiving station, said means being disposed at the end of the group of coils axially opposite the receiving station, a banding station to receive the coils sequentially from the receiving station, movable arresting means at the banding station movable into position in the path of a coil to arrest the coil at the banding station and movable into position out of the path of the coil to permit movement of the coil in its original direction of movement out of the banding station, the arresting means comprising roller means, and additional roller means at the banding station cooperating with the first mentioned roller means when the arresting means is in the first mentioned position for supporting the coil at the banding station for turning movement about its axis toproperly orient it for handing.

10. Apparatus for handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising a receiving station for receiving a coil of the group of coils and means for pushing the coils generally axially of the coils to remove them one by one from the support to sequentially separate individual coils from the group and dispose each such separated coil at the receiving station, said means being disposed at the end of the group of coils axially opposite the receiving station, the receiving station having a generally upright wall against which each such separated coil is adapted to lie as the coil is delivered from the support to maintain the coil with its axis generally horizontal, said wall limiting the dimension of the receiving station parallel to the axes of the coils to less than the axial dimension of the group of coils and being adapted to cooperate with the next coil while the latter is still on the support to confine the separated coil at its sides to maintain it with its axis generally horizontal, and means receiving the coils sequentially from thereceiving station having portions confining each coil at its sides to maintain it with its axis generally horizontaL whereby-to positively maintain each 1 coil with its axis generally horizontal throughout the handling of the coil by the apparatus.

11. A method of handling unbanded coils originally-disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising sequentially separating individual coils from the group by pushing the same in a direction generally parallel to the axes of the coils to remove them sequentially from the support into position with a side face of each coil against a wall maintaining the coil with its axis generally horizontal, prior to removing the next coil from the support moving each such separated coil toward a banding station with its axis generally horizontal and sequentially banding the coils, each when it is disposed at the banding station.

12. A method of handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising sequentially separating individual coils from the group by pushing the same in a direction generally parallel to the axes of the coils to remove them sequentially from the support into position with a side face of each coil against a wall maintaining the coil with its axis generally horizontal, prior to removing the next coil from the support rolling each such separated coil toward a banding station with its axis generally horizontal and sequentially banding the coils, each when it is disposed at the banding station.

13. A method of handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising sequentially separating individual coils from the group by pushing the same in a direction generally parallel to the axes of the coils to remove them sequentially from the support into position with a side face of each coil against a wall maintaining the coil with its axis generally horizontal, prior to removing the next coil from the support moving each such separated coil toward a banding station, at all times until each such separated coil has been banded and is ready for delivery from the banding station confining it at its sides to maintain it with its axis generally horizontal and handing the coils at the banding station.

14. A method of handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils generally horizontal, comprising sequentially separating individual coils from the group by pushing the same in a direction generally parallel to the axes of the coils to remove them sequentially from the support into position with a side face of each coil against a Wall maintaining the coil with its axis generally horizontal, prior to removing the next coil from the support moving each such separated coil toward a banding station with its axis generally horizontal, at the banding station supporting each such separated coil for turning movement about its axis to properly orient it for banding, turning each such separated coil about its axis at the banding station if necessary to properly orient it for banding and banding the same.

15. A method of handling unbanded coils originally disposed in a group in side-by-side relationship on a support with the axes of the coils 1 1 generally horizontal, comprising sequentially separating individual coils from the group by pushing the same in a direction generally parallel to the axes of the coils to remove them sequentially from the support into position with a side face of 5 each coil against a wall maintaining the coil with its axis generally horizontal and while maintaining the thus separated coils with their axes generally horizontal sequentially moving them along a predetermined path through a banding station and sequentially handing the coils, each when it is disposed at the banding station.

NEIL J. RANNEY.

12 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,779,381 Johnson Oct. 21, 1930 2,156,695 Klein May 2, 1939 2,281,423 Egge Apr. 28, 1942 2,288,621 Greer July '7, 1942 2,327,906 Kiefer Aug. 24, 1943 2,430,075 Olson Nov. 4, 1947 2,485,961 Duby Oct. 25, 1949 

